Implementing synchromodality from a collaboration perspective

This paper aims to augment current knowledge about synchromodality by investigating the factors that underpin the effective implementation of this logistical paradigm in an effort to inform managerial practice and public policy design. Employing a conceptual model of drivers, facilitators, barriers, and
managerial actions we conduct a qualitative study with international experts on synchromodality. We identified key drivers, such as complexity reduction or more efficient inventory management together with environmental characteristics (facilitators and barriers) that enable or hinder synchromodality, such as operational flexibility or resistance to change. In terms of managerial activities (components), we find that data governance and inter-firm trust issues are salient aspects for sustaining synchromodality. Furthermore, we specified how policy-makers can influence the necessary conditions and the health of partnerships for synchromodality implementation. In this way, the paper contributes to existing logistics literature by studying synchromodality implementation issues beyond the optimization frameworks examined by analytical models and beyond the technological focus of extant empirical studies